This weeks Haftorah (The portions of the Bible God told the Prophets to have read in public on each Sabbath) begins “ And the children of Yisrael shall be as the sand of the sea that can not be counted or measured “ Yet right in the beginning of our parsha it says “Take the heads of all the congregation of all the children of Isreal by their families houses, numbering of them, names of all the males by their skulls”.

Now it is known that a blessing does not rest on that which is counted. As the haftorah says “That can not be counted or measured “. At other times all Yisrael were counted by the 1/2 shekel coin each year donated to the Holy Temple in Adar. By doing this the people were never counted, only coins. But what about this counting of the people ?. We learn from the Shalah Hakodesh in Sni Luchot HaBrit that blessings don’t rest on that which is counted when its measurement is intrinsically physical, being part of the material world. As such numbering by its nature creates limitation, but numbering in context of the spiritual worlds does not impose limitation. Numbers in the context of the spiritual worlds does not imply limitation as each such number advances towards great achievements. So here we don’t have counting as with physical things, but what we have here is as it states counting of “ gilgulatom “ (their skulls). In the Zohar it talks about the eminations from the “ gilgulata “ (skull) of parzufim (structures that emanate and reveal Divine energy). In this context “ gilgulata “ refers specifically to the aspect of the parzuf called Arich Anpin (long face), this parzuf is the place of emination and revelation of the will of God. Concerning the skull of parzuf Atik Yamin (place where delight is eminated from) are great secrets which are seldom heard. Here we can find infinite wisdom. It was spoken concerning the skull by Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochi in the last moments of his life in a body on this earth at the idra Zuta. The final gathering of Rabbi Shimon and his companions of the Zohar. This we celebrated a short time ago and each year it is celebrated where he is buried in Maron with at least 400,000 people. It is the largest celebration Here in Aretz ha Kodesh. There shall be left in the land of Israel in the Time of the Mashiach 7000 people. These are the secret of מ”ב to their skulls. This is the secret of מ”ב from which the world was created. And in the souls of these Sadeekem it is ruled.

From Rebbe Shimon we learn that the skull is full of dew, it contains a membrane that surrounds the brain and a atmosphere. To it is a beard of pure wool containing 13 attributes of Divine mercy. A forehead that functions as supernal will, a eye of providence that is eternally open. Nostrils of His nose to breath life force. The flow of chuchmah (Divine wisdom) is called scent. All wisdom of the world is from the nose of Arich. The beard is made of whats called dikna (conduits). When the dikna of parzuf Atik (place where delight is eminated from) are clear it illuminates the Dikna of parzuf Zier Anpin (Source of emination of the emotional soul) drawing down 13 passages of supernal oil (Divine wisdom). Then in the dikna of Z’a we find there are 22 tikuney dikna (conduits of corrective eminations). It is from there we draw out the 22 letters of the Holy tongue, 22 letters of the Torah and all creation.

So the counting here is more like a recognition of each Isrealite being set aside for his supernal purpose from the powers manifest in the “ gilgulata “ (skull). As the Shalah said concerning spiritual counting “Each such number advances towards great achievements”. Thus here Moshe is setting aside each individual in Yisrael by their “ gilgulata “ making them sanctified, separated and distinguishing each according to their distinct part in the Holy nation. As Holiness infers separation. So here moshe designates each individual of Yisreal distinguished at the “ gilgulata“ level (his powers, purpose). May it be from this act of Moshe designating each individual of Yisreal distinguished at the “ gilgulata“ level (his powers, purpose) there should soon manifest the complete energy of redemption. With the revelation of our righteous Mashiach quickly in our days.